System and method for providing scalable educational content

ABSTRACT

Presented are a system and method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) based modular platform having educational content. The method includes providing an interactive GUI on a computing device accessible by a user, receiving a first indication of a language being studied, displaying a GUI layer presenting a selection of level, unit, activity, and/or lesson, receiving a lesson selection, and computing a rating or score of the user&#39;s performance for the lesson. The system includes a control module, a language parser accessing content within repositories and providing language specific content, a syntax rule base providing language specific rules to the language parser, a lesson format base providing a lesson style to the control module, and a speech recognition system evaluating a user&#39;s utterance for pronunciation and sentence structure accuracy.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/875,920, filed on Sep. 3, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/239,943, filed Sep. 4, 2009, andentitled “System and Method for Providing Scalable Educational Content,”which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems and methods for providingeducational content and, in particular, to a system and method forproviding language educational content from a modular platform.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, the availability of computers and network connectionsin the educational environment has increased. However, for learninglanguage such systems currently fail to be used optimally. Moreover, thepresent systems are not scalable or are inefficient to scale. There is,therefore, a need for an efficiently scalable system and method forproviding educational content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In an embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for providingeducational content pertaining to any of a plurality of languages over anetwork including receiving a language selection and a selection of aneducational content unit, retrieving from a content database selectedcontent items associated with the selected educational content unit,including at least one language-generic content item and at least onelanguage-specific content item associated with the selected language,generating the educational content unit using the retrievedlanguage-general and language-specific content items, and transmittingthe generated educational content unit over the network for display onthe computing device.

In an embodiment, the invention provides a system for providing agraphical user interface (GUI) based modular platform. The systemincludes a control module coupled to a bus, and configured to receiveand provide data and control signals, a language parser coupled to thebus, and configured to access content within repositories and providelanguage specific content to the control module, a syntax rule basecoupled to the bus and associated with the language parser, the syntaxrule base configured to provide language specific rules to the languageparser, a lesson format base coupled to the bus and configured toprovide at least one lesson style to the control module, and a speechrecognition system coupled to the bus and configured to receive anutterance from a user, wherein the utterance is evaluated with regard toat least one of pronunciation accuracy and sentence structure accuracy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and notlimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which likereference numerals indicate corresponding, analogous or similarelements, and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network system in accordance with anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a graphical user interface in accordance with anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a layer of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates another layer of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates another layer of the embodiment of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of a modular platform inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 illustrates a process in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 8 illustrates a process in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

It will be appreciated that, for simplicity and clarity of illustration,elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale.For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggeratedrelative to other elements for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention.However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the artthat the invention may be practiced without these specific details. Inother instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, modules,units and/or circuits have not been described in detail so as not toobscure the invention.

Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard,discussions utilizing terms such as, for example, “processing,”“computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” “establishing”, “analyzing”,“checking”, or the like, may refer to operation(s) and/or process(es) ofa computer, a computing platform, a computing system, or otherelectronic computing device, that manipulate and/or transform datarepresented as physical (e.g., electronic) quantities within thecomputer's registers and/or memories into other data similarlyrepresented as physical quantities within the computer's registersand/or memories or other information storage medium that may storeinstructions to perform operations and/or processes.

Although embodiments of the invention are not limited in this regard,the terms “plurality” and “a plurality” as used herein may include, forexample, “multiple” or “two or more”. The terms “plurality” or “aplurality” may be used throughout the specification to describe two ormore components, devices, elements, units, parameters, or the like.

Unless explicitly stated, the method embodiments described herein arenot constrained to a particular order or sequence. Additionally, some ofthe described method embodiments or elements thereof can occur or beperformed at the same point in time.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a modular platform thatmay provide games, lesson plans, activities and animated movies that maybe used as an educational resource for teaching a language to anon-native speaker and/or reader of that language. A modular platform inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention may be a comprehensivetool that can focus on reading, writing, vocabulary building, grammarand/or pronunciation skills.

Reference is made to FIG. 1, showing a schematic view of an exemplarysystem 100 according to embodiments of the invention. System 100 mayinclude a server 110, a user A 120, a user B 130, a plurality of users C140, for example, collocated in a classroom environment, and a network150 for communication therebetween. It will be understood that users A,B, and C need not be located in the same vicinity, but rather may eachbe remotely located from the others, wherein all are connected to acommunication network, e.g., the Internet. For the sake of simplicity,computing devices operated by users A, B and C are not particularlyshown; however, it will be recognized that users A, B and C as referredto herein denote a user operating any applicable computing device. Forexample, users A, B and C may operate a personal computer, a desktopcomputer, a mobile computer or phone, a laptop computer, a notebookcomputer, a terminal, a workstation, a server computer, a personaldigital assistant (PDA) device, a tablet computer, a pad computer, anetbook computer, a network device, or any other suitable computingdevice. Server 110 may be any applicable server platform, e.g., one ormore server computers or any one or more of the devices described hereinwith reference to devices that may be operated by user A. Server 110 mayinclude hardware, software, firmware modules, or a combination thereof.

It will be recognized that embodiments of the invention are not limitedby the type or nature of server 110, network 150, and/or devicesoperated by users A, B and C.

Network 150 may be, may comprise or may be part of, a private internetprotocol (IP) network, the Internet, an integrated services digitalnetwork (ISDN), frame relay connections, modem connected to a phone linea public switched telephone network (PSTN), a public or private datanetwork, a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN),a wide area network (WAN), a wireline or wireless network, a local,regional, or global communication network, an enterprise intranet, anycombination of the preceding and/or any other suitable communicationmeans. It will be recognized that embodiments of the invention are notlimited by the nature of network 150.

In some embodiments, server 110 may be a web server and may providecontent, e.g., web pages, Adobe™ Flash files, Microsoft™ Silverlightfiles, and/or any other files that may be visually interpreted andinteractively presented to users A, B and C. Accordingly, according toembodiments of the invention, users A, B, and C need not installapplication software on their computers, but rather, may interact withthe system entirely over the Internet using generic browser software andsuitable plug-ins, as required. Users A, B and C may interact withserver 110 and/or with each other by interacting with content providedby server 110. An online application (not shown) on server 110 may allowusers to login, for example, using usernames and passwords, which may beverified against a subscriber list, prior to providing educationalcontent to users.

The content may be arranged hierarchically, for example, in a pluralityof levels, each of which comprises a plurality of units, each of which,in turn, comprises a plurality of lessons. Thus, upon logging in, a usermay be presented with a list of levels. Upon selecting a level, the usermay be requested to select a unit, and within the unit, a list oflessons may be presented.

FIG. 2 illustrates graphical user interface (GUI) 200 in accordance withan embodiment of the present invention. The selected level 202 may bedisplayed (e.g., Level 1), the selected unit 204 (e.g., Unit 1) may bepresented with a drop-down list of activities 220-228, other units 206,208 for the lesson may be displayed as tabs, and lesson(s) 210-217 forthe unit's selected activities may be displayed. Each of the levels,units, activities, and lessons may be a hyperlink that links the user toanother page or layer in GUI 200. For any lesson selected, a video maybe viewed that explains the lesson, for example, by clicking on thepicture at the upper right portion of the screen. The positioning of theselected lesson, unit, and available lessons may be located at anyposition within GUI 200.

According to an embodiment of the invention, server 110 may provide GUI200 over network 150 as a web page to the computing device operated byusers A, B, and C. In accordance with another embodiment of theinvention, the computing device operated by users A, B, and C may be astand-alone device with a browser software application providing a GUIto enable interaction with content provided by server 110.

The lessons in accordance with an embodiment of the invention mayinclude interactive features such as those displayed at the bottom ofFIG. 2. Thus, for example, each lesson may include some or all commonfeatures with other lessons, including, for example, “Know More!”,“Write It!”, “Words, Words, Words”, “Read It!”, “Play It!”, “Hear It,Say It!”, “Warm Up !”, and “You Can Do It!”.

Lesson 210, “Know More!” may provide grammatical information on theunit. For example, in one embodiment of the invention, the use of apronoun may be explained and various pronouns may be listed.

Lesson 211, “Write It!” may provide a printable worksheet form or afillable portable document format (PDF). In one embodiment, the fillablePDF may be submitted via system 100 to the modular platform foranalysis.

Lesson 212, “Words, Words, Words!” may provide interactive flash cardsdisplaying the lesson's words. FIG. 3 illustrates a web page 300 of GUI200 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Webpage 300 is anexemplar of the destination when the link for lesson 212 is selected.When a mouse is scrolled over the interactive flashcards of webpage 300,the visual impact of the interactive flashcard may change, and/or anaudio file of the word may be played. For example, interactive flashcard310 is shown in an emphasized, enlarged state to alter its visualimpact. The emphasis may be done in other ways as well. For example, theinteractive flashcard may change color, begin to blink, be the soleinteractive flashcard displayed while the mouse pointer is over it, etc.The audio file associated with the interactive flash card may play theword written on the card to solidify the written and spoken componentsof the language being taught—“girl” (English), “muchacha” (Spanish),“fille” (French), etc.

Lesson 213, “Read It!” may provide an interactive list of words withletter combinations highlighted within the words. Clicking on the wordmay cause an audio snippet to play with a pronunciation of the word, sothat a user may learn how to pronounce the highlighted combination ofletters. The “Read It!” feature may display letters, lettercombinations, and/or words built from these letters. Words and lettersmay be entered dynamically, and letters may be automatically highlightedin each word, using a specialized search and replace function. Words andletters may be paired dynamically with audio that plays when clicking onan entry.

Lesson 214, “Play It!” may provide an interactive screen that maydisplay flash cards each with a hidden picture. FIG. 4 illustrates aninteractive screen displaying the flash cards. By “turning over” a card(e.g., by clicking a mouse button or pointer), an image of a word may bepresented to a user along with an audio snippet of the word'spronunciation. After the audio snippet plays, the image of the worddisappears. By “turning over” other cards the user may be presented witha duplicate image and audio snippet. By sequentially “turning over” twocards with the same image and audio snippet, the cards may be removedfrom the screen's display.

Lesson 215, “Hear it, Say it!” may provide an interactive screen ofimages that can be selected by a user. For each image selected, a shortvideo clip may be presented along with an audio snippet of a word, astring of words, or a sentence with content that may match the videoclip. After hearing the audio snippet, a user may be encouraged to saythe content of the audio snippet. The “Hear It Say It!” feature may loada file, or a series of files, for example, Shockwave Flash (.swf) files,which may be placed in a display menu at run time. When clicked, each ofthe movies may play in larger format, with prompts for user responses.It will be recognized that, in order to be fully operable, such featuremay benefit or require that a computer of user A, B, and/or C include asound card and an audio device, e.g., a speaker.

In an embodiment in accordance with the invention, the computing deviceoperated by at least some of users A, B, and C may include a microphone.The microphone may receive the user's utterance, which may then beconverted to an audio file by the sound card. The audio file may beanalyzed by a speech recognition system for grading to determine theclarity of the user's utterance. For example, the audio file may betransmitted back to the server 110, which may perform the analysis. Asdescribed further below, the analysis may include a comparison againstone or more benchmarks or standards in order to provide feedback to theuser. By receiving feedback on the user's speech pattern of the languagebeing studied, and repeated practice of detected pronunciation problemsof the user, the user's accent and/or pronunciation may be improved overtime.

Lesson 216, “WarmUp!” may provide an interactive screen to reinforce theunit's lessons. For example, a Complete and Match warm up module maydisplay text dynamically in boxes that may be dragged by the user to acorresponding matching text field. The text field may be a blank portionof a full sentence, from which a word has been removed programmatically.The removed word may be, for example, from the corresponding lesson ofthe unit. The text may then become a question, which in turn may beanswered by dragging another set of dynamically created text fields.

In another “Warm Up!” module in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention, a screen may display various images that may correspond towords from the unit's lessons. An audio snippet of a phrase, a string ofwords, or a sentence may be played. The user may be prompted to click onthe image that may best match the prompt provided by the audio snippet.A visual and/or audio indication of the correctness of the user'sselection may be provided.

According to another embodiment in accordance with the invention, a“Warm Up!” exercise may be a multiple-choice quiz, which may becontent-aware and change format based on the values received. Themultiple choice quiz presentation module may display and play variouscombinations of text, image, and sound to construct the quiz based onthe lesson content.

In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, a “Warm Up!” maybe a sorting exercise, in which word categories and word entries may bereceived by the sorting content presentation module, which may thendisplay the word categories and entries in randomly placed boxes. Theuser may drag each of the word entries to the proper graphic loaded forthat word category. Again, the randomization of the draggable boxes maymake the activity different with each play.

Lesson 217, “You Can Do It!” may provide an interactive screendisplaying images. The user may be prompted to select the image that maybest match an audio snippet that plays while the images on the screen. Avisual and/or audio indication of the correctness of the user'sselection may be provided. The images on the screen may be changedand/or scrambled prior to the next audio snippet is played.

Each of lessons 210-217 may provide an interactive screen and/or audiosnippet that may provide an educational activity to a user using anapproach that reinforces the language lessons for the unit in apleasant, entertaining manner

The speech recognition system may compare the user's utterance to adatabase of native language speakers for a baseline, or may make thecomparison to a baseline of non-native language speakers having asimilar background to the user's own demographics. Each baseline maycontain pronunciation features common to the group forming the baselineso that a user may be provided with prompt or substantially immediatefeedback based on the comparison that may allow the user to develop ahomogeneous, accepted pronunciation by repetition. In some embodimentsof the invention, a parent, teacher, or other authorized user, may beprovided with the ability to remotely monitor or obtain access topronunciation attempts by the user. Thus, for example, a teacher loggedin to the system may be provided with the audio files of the student'spronunciation substantially in real-time, and may provide manualfeedback on the pronunciation. For example, the teacher may type orspeak comments to the student user relating to the transmittedpronunciation.

The system may further provide one or more reports to a user, a user'sparent, an administrator or instructor of a group of users, etc. Areport may provide statistical tools of comparison of the detectedpronunciation of an individual user or group of users as comparedagainst other users, e.g., other users having similar native language,geographic region, age, gender, etc. For example, a teacher may obtain apronunciation assessment report of a student user having a certainnative language. The report may compare the student's pronunciation ofcertain measured consonants, vowels, diphthongs, etc. as against abenchmark, e.g., against pronunciation by students of similar age andnative language of each of the measured consonants, vowels, diphthongs,etc. Alternatively or additionally, a report may track progress of auser's pronunciation over time using audio samples captured over aperiod of time.

In an embodiment of the invention, a group of users may be associated,for example, as a class. The system may collect pronunciation samplesfrom each student and prepare a report for the teacher of the class ofcommon or individual problems that students may be having withpronunciation. The report may be in graph format, for example, ahistogram showing the incidence of certain problems in the number ofstudents in the class.

Based on the speech pronunciation analysis of a user's utterances, thespeech recognition system may suggest to the user or other personassociated therewith (e.g., teacher, parent, etc.) one or morepronunciation exercises customized to emphasize certain pronunciationproblems, e.g., problems of the particular user and/or problems of otherusers having similar demographic background, e.g., native language,geographic location, age, gender, etc. Thus, for example, if the systemdetects that the user mis-pronounces the long pronunciation of the vowel“a”, the user may be provided with pronunciation exercises of wordshaving the long vowel “a”, in order to encourage practice of theparticularly problematic pronunciation. It will be understood therefore,that in a class of students, each having different native languages, thesystem may provide each user, based on his/her detected pronunciationand/or demographic, with customized pronunciation exercises, as well asreports to a teacher for keeping track of progress of the students.

Some embodiments of the invention may provide visual feedback and/orinstruction to assist in improving pronunciation. For example, thesystem may associate certain utterances with lip motions. Upon detectionof an utterance, the system may provide a visual simulation orrepresentation of a mouth making the detected utterance. Moreover, inorder to provide instruction, the system may further associate a corrector acceptable pronunciation with visual simulation or representation ofa mouth making the correct or acceptable utterance. Thus, upon detectionof an incorrect or mispronounced utterance, the system may generate andprovide visual assistance by rendering a virtual mouth making thecorrect pronunciation of the mispronounced utterance. In someembodiments, the mispronounced (actual) and correctly pronounced (ideal)virtual mouths may be shown simultaneously, e.g., side-by-side, in orderto demonstrate the contrast between incorrect and correct pronunciationsof the word.

Content for each of the interactive flashcards, audio files, videoimages, pictures etc. may be stored in data store 160 that is incommunication with server 110. Data store 160 may be a database withrecords organized and/or cross-referenced by language, grammatical form,sentence structure, definition, syntax, etc. Each record may be providedto any level, unit, and/or unit by system 100 to create the lesson beingtaught.

According to embodiments of the invention, each of the features may beassociated with a content player or presentation module, which may be ageneric software module or a uniform template, which may be useddynamically to present different content. According to embodiments ofthe invention, the presentation module may present different content bybeing provided with variables, audio content, video content, and graphiccontent, from a content management system (CMS).

According to embodiments of the invention, there may be provided one ormore presentation modules for presenting the games or features that maybe used repeatedly throughout the site. The presentation modules may begeneric for their type, and may utilize different or dynamic data tochange the content presented by each presentation module. Each of thepresentation modules may parse values from the variables they receive,load the assets provided, and then initialize the activity based on thecontent received. According to embodiments of the invention, contentpresentation modules may be built in Adobe Flash, and coded inActionscript, or any other suitable format.

According to embodiments of the invention, various games may be providedbased on the relevant educational content. For example, there may beprovided a board game in which users roll dice (e.g., by clicking on adice icon and receiving randomly generated numbers), and move around aplaying field board presented on the screen, answering questions andcompeting against a computer opponent.

According to embodiments of the invention, all categories, questions,and answers may be built dynamically with external variables, and thegraphics for the board and pieces may furthermore be set dynamically.Accordingly, a single board game content presentation module may be usedas a template to provide a plurality of lessons, depending on thecontent provided to the presentation module. It will be recognized thatthe lesson displayed on the upper part of the screen may determine thecontent provided to the content presentation module.

Another game module may be a Catch It game, in which a pool of visualcontent (loaded graphics or text) may scroll from one edge of thescreen, e.g., the top, to another, e.g., the bottom, in a randomizedmanner Text and audio prompts may indicate which item the student mustselect next. Randomization may provide a unique order for the fallingcontent each time the game is played. Again, the lesson selected mayprovide the content to be presented in the game.

In yet another game module according to an embodiment of the invention,users may maneuver a character across a board on which some squarespresent questions, traps or prizes. All of the content for these squaresmay be loaded dynamically, and the layout of the squares may berandomized so that the location of positive and negative squares maychange with each play.

Web pages may include some general features independent of theparticular level, unit, or lesson displayed, for example, “Word Lists”,“Teaching Tools”, and “Help”.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary screenshot of a Word List feature according to anembodiment of the invention. According to embodiments of the invention,the Word Lists module may receive a dynamic list of words, for example,from the CMS, and may based thereon display all vocabulary or othereducational content used in the site, or in any relevant subsectionthereof. Each item in the list may be paired with multimedia content.For example, words may be paired with audio, video, or graphic content,which may load dynamically with each word clicked. The words may bearranged programmatically, for example, selectively in a per-lessonlisting and/or in an alphabetical listing.

The above-described activities reinforce the lessons for the unit in amanner that is conducive to user participation and learning. Other unitsand lessons may use these and other activities to achieve theinstructional goal.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of modular platform 600 inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment,modular platform 600 may have portions located at server 110 and acomputing device operated by users A, B, and C configured as a clientdevice on system 100. In another embodiment in accordance with theinvention, modular platform 600 may be a stand-alone applicationresident on the computing device operated by users A, B, and C.

Modular platform 600 may include a control module 610 that may controlthe operation of the modular platform. Control module 610 communicatescontrol and data signals via bus 615. Modular platform also includeslanguage parser 620 that may access word repository 630, audiorepository 635, and video repository 638 to use the content storedtherein for each of the interactive flashcards, audio files, videoimages, pictures etc. In an embodiment of the invention, word repository630, audio repository 635, and video repository 638 may be locatedwithin data store 160.

Language parser 620 may take content from word repository 630, audiorepository 635, and/or video repository 638 to assemble the content forthe hyperlink layers of GUI 200. The nature of the content accessed bylanguage parser 620 may vary dependent on the nature of the GUIhyperlink layer undergoing assembly. For example, every language has asyntax and format (e.g., a noun identifies a person, place or thing; averb describes an action, an adjective describes a noun, etc.). Thelanguage parser accesses the content based on a predetermined content.Language parser 620 may access word content based on an image to bedisplayed, or conversely may access the image to be displayed based onthe word content. Similarly, the language parser may access an audiofile based on the word or image, or vice a versa.

Associated with language parser 620 may be syntax rule base 625. Syntaxrule base 625 may provide rules to the language parser for a particularlanguage to create a proper structure (i.e., a written sentence, and/oran audible sentence) by stringing together the individual components ofthe structure. For example, the sentence “This is a horse.” includes adefinite article, “this”; a verb “is”; an indefinite article “a”, and anoun “horse.” Syntax rule base 625 provides language specific syntaxrules to language parser 620 to instruct the language parser how to puttogether the individual elements to create the sentence. In differentlanguages, the noun may precede the verb, there may not be a definitearticle, and other rules may apply. Syntax rule base 625 may provide theparticular rules for a particular language to the language parser.

A universal identifier (e.g., a numeric) may identify a record withinword repository 630, audio repository 635, and video repository 638where each respective word, image, and audio snippet may be located.

Language parser 620 may cross-reference the rules provided from syntaxrule base 625 with the numeric identifier for the word, image, and/oraudio snippet based on the language of interest to access the propercontent to insert into the GUI layer based on the syntax provided bysyntax rule base 625. The language parser may provide language specificcontent to control module 610 for display in a GUI on the user'scomputing device.

Modular platform 600 may include lesson format base 640 that containsthe various types of lesson module styles described above. For example,lesson format base 640 may contain the sorting content presentationmodule, a multiple choice quiz presentation module, a complete and matchwarm-up module, a board game presentation module, etc. Information fromlesson format base 640 may be provided to the language parser so that itmay know the content of the GUI layer being assembled.

Modular platform 600 may include speech recognition system 650, whichmay evaluate the pronunciation and sentence structure skills of theuser. Speech recognition system 650 may include a microphone thatreceives the utterance of a user. The utterance of the user may thenundergo signal analysis so that it can be partitioned into frames foranalysis. The frames may be acoustically analyzed to evaluate the user'spronunciation. The frames or a sequence of frames may also be convertedto text to evaluate the sentence structure spoken by the user.

The acoustic analysis may be performed by comparing on or more frames toacoustic models that may be stored in data store 160. Based on theresults of the acoustic comparison, an acoustic score may be providedthat reflects the skill level of the user. The acoustic models may be aword, a series of words, and/or a complete sentence based on theacoustic patterns spoken by native language speakers. The acousticmodels may also be a word, a series of words, and/or a complete sentencebased on the acoustic patterns spoken by persons having the samenative-language as the user. The latter model allows for evaluating theuser's skill in a non-native language while making allowance for verbalspeech patterns inherent from the user's native language.

The structural analysis of the text sequence may be performed bycomparing the text sequence to syntax models that may be stored in datastore 160. Based on the results of the structural comparison, astructural score may be provided that reflects the skill level of theuser. The acoustic score and the structural score may be stored in datastore 160 so that a user's progress over time may be evaluated.

In this manner, modular platform 600 may build a generic structure foreach of GUI 200 hyperlink layers that may be capable of population bylanguage parser 620 with different words, images, audio content, etc.based on the language being taught and/or the lesson being assembled.

FIG. 7 illustrates process 700 for providing a computer-based, modularplatform to deliver educational content to a user in accordance with anembodiment of the invention. Process 700 provides an interactive GUI toa user, step 710. A server connected to a user's computing device acrossa communication network may provide the interactive GUI. In accordancewith another embodiment of the invention, the interactive GUI may beprovided by an application local to a stand-alone computing device.

An indication of the educational content may be received, step 720, atthe modular platform. In one embodiment, the indication of educationalcontent may be a language being studied by the user. The selectedlanguage may be received from the GUI based on a user's selection. Inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention, process 700 may recall auser's prior history and continue with the same language.

At step 730, process 700 may present a user with a GUI layer thatprovides selection of level, unit, and/or lesson. Process 700 may recalla user's prior history and present the next level, unit, activity,and/or lesson. A user may select a different level, unit, and/or lessonfrom either GUI screen.

Process 700 may present a GUI layer, step 740, correlated to the user'sselection. For example, if the user selected a level, the current GUIlayer may offer the user a choice of levels. If the user selected a unitwithin a level, the current GUI layer may offer the user a choice oflessons for the unit. If the user selected a lesson, process 700 mayskip to step 760.

At step 755, process 700 may enter a loop to receive an indication of alesson from the user. The loop may present one or more GUI layers, whereeach layer flows from a selection received from the prior GUI layer.Upon receiving a lesson selection, process 700 exits the loop and maycontinue at step 760.

Process 700, at step 760 may provide the user with an interactive GUIlesson that may include visual, audio, and/or textual content. Thevisual, audio, and/or textual content may be for the lessons describedabove, or for other interactive lessons.

After completion of the lesson, process 700 may evaluate, assess, and/orgrade, step 770, the user's performance and compute a rating and/orscore. The evaluation, assessment, and/or grading results may be storedin data store 160 so that a user's progress over time may be calculated.

After completion of a lesson, process 700 may receive an indication,step 780, of the next lesson, unit, and/or level selected by a user. Inone embodiment, process 700 may determine, step 785, the next lesson,unit, and/or level for the user based on the short-term evaluation,assessment, and/or grading results or based on the user's long termcomputed progress.

Process 700 then may repeat steps 760-785 until a user exits theprocess, or all levels, units, and lessons are completed.

FIG. 8 illustrates a process 800 in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention for providing educational content pertaining to any of aplurality of languages over a network.

At stage 810, a language selection or indication indicating a languageselected to be studied by the user and an educational content unitselection are obtained. Either or both of these may be obtained from auser record, for example, after a user signs in to the system, or theselection may be made by the user over the network. It will beunderstood that the educational content unit may be any of the aboveeducational modules, e.g., a teaching unit, a game, an exercise, etc.

At stage 820, certain content items required to present the educationalcontent unit in the selected language are retrieved. In one embodimentof the invention, the content items may be obtained from a contentdatabase. The content database may include a plurality of contentrecords, each content record associated with at least one educationalcontent unit and including at least one language-generic content itemand a plurality of language-specific content items, each of thelanguage-specific content items pertaining to a respectively differentlanguage. For example, a content record may be for the word “horse”,which may be used in connection with one or more educational contentunits. The content record for “horse” may include at least onelanguage-generic content item, for example, a picture of a horse, a partof speech, e.g., noun, a category, e.g., animal. The content record for“horse” may further include a plurality of language-specific contentitems, for example, a plurality of texts of the word “horse” in therespective languages, a plurality of audio files of the pronunciation ofthe word “horse” in the respective languages, etc. Thus, if the selectedlanguage is French, and a selected educational content unit calls forthe word “horse”, then the process may retrieve at least onelanguage-generic content item, e.g., a picture of a horse, and at leastone French language-specific content item, e.g., the text “cheval”.

At stage 830, the educational content unit may be generated using theretrieved language-general and language-specific content item. Forexample, there may be provided in an educational content unit templaterepository including templates for each available educational contentunit. The templates may include placeholders for the language-specificcontent items to be inserted at the time of generation. In someembodiments, the template may include language-generic content items, orplaceholders for language-generic content items.

At stage 840, the generated educational content unit may be transmittedover the network for display on the computing device. In someembodiments of the invention, e.g., a lesson without user input, themethod may end with stage 840.

Some embodiments of the invention, for example, where input or otherinteraction is requested from the user, may include stage 850, in whichuser interaction may be received from the user computing device. Atstage 860, the input or interaction may be analyzed to obtain a score.In some embodiments of the invention, the interaction may be a vocalinput by a user, and the process may involve the processing as describedabove to improve pronunciation.

While there have been shown and described fundamental novel features ofthe invention as applied to several embodiments, it will be understoodthat those skilled in the art may make various omissions, substitutions,and changes in the form, detail, and operation of the illustratedembodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. Substitutions of elements from one embodiment to another arealso fully intended and contemplated. The invention is defined solelywith regard to the claims appended hereto, and equivalents of therecitations therein.

We claim:
 1. A system for providing a graphical user interface (GUI)based modular platform, comprising: a control module coupled to a bus,and configured to receive and provide data and control signals; alanguage parser coupled to the bus; a syntax rule base coupled to thebus and associated with the language parser, the syntax rule baseconfigured to provide language specific rules of a particular languageto the language parser, the rules provided to instruct the languageparser how to put together individual elements to create a sentence inthe particular language; a lesson format base coupled to the bus, thelesson format base comprising a plurality of lesson module styles andconfigured to provide a selected lesson module style to the languageparser; a presentation module for presenting the GUI to a user; and aspeech recognition system coupled to the bus and configured to receivean utterance from the user, wherein the utterance is evaluated withregard to at least one of pronunciation accuracy and sentence structureaccuracy, wherein the language parser is configured to access, based onthe at least one lesson module style and on the language specific rulesprovided by the syntax rule base, content pertaining to a plurality oflanguages within repositories, to create sentences by stringing togetherindividual components of the content, and to provide language specificcontent including the sentences to the control module, and wherein thecontrol module to send the language specific content to the presentationmodule for presentation in the GUI.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe repositories are at least one of a word repository, an audiorepository, and a textual repository.
 3. The system of claim 1, whereinthe language parser is configured to access at least one of wordcontent, audio content, and video content based on at least one of word,audio file, and image.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the languageparser is configured to cross-reference the language specific rules withat least one universal identifier to access the repositories' content.5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured tomerge the language specific content and the lesson styles to create GUIhyperlink layers for display at a user's computing device.
 6. The systemof claim 1, wherein the speech recognition system is configured toperform an audio analysis using acoustic models to evaluate thepronunciation accuracy.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the acousticmodels are based on at least one of native language speakers andnon-native language speakers having the same language demographic as auser.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the speech recognition system isconfigured to perform a structural analysis using syntax models toevaluate the sentence structure accuracy.
 9. The system of claim 1,wherein each GUI is a generic GUI structure that is populated by thecontrol module based on input from the language parser and the lessonformat base.